The transcription factor CCT30 promotes rice preharvest sprouting by regulating sugar signalling to inhibit the ABA-mediated pathway.

Seed dormancy is an important adaptive trait in plants. Proper seed dormancy enables the avoidance of preharvest sprouting in the undesirable conditions like rainfall frequently. In this study, qPSR8, a major QTL for preharvest sprouting, was isolated, and a previously reported heading-date gene, CCT30, was verified as the candidate gene. The CCT30 knockout mutants (CCT30-CR) enhanced seed dormancy and ABA sensitivity as compared with the wild-type ZH11. Conversely, CCT30 overexpressing plants had opposite phenotype changes and had a decreased ABA content. The expression of ABA synthesis genes such as OsNCEDs and ABA signalling genes such as ABI3 and ABI5 were upregulated and sugar metabolism-related genes such as amylase genes were downregulated in CCT30-CR. Correspondingly, fewer free sugars, such as monosaccharides and oligosaccharides, accumulated in CCT30-CR. The freshly harvested seeds from CCT30-CR had no ability to transmit sugar signals when treated with 1% exogenous glucose. In addition, CCT30 interacted with the transcription factor OsbZIP37, which negatively regulates seed dormancy. Overall, CCT30 promotes preharvest sprouting by enhancing sugar signals that inhibit the ABA-mediated pathway, and CCT30 is a good gene for breeding rice varieties resistant to preharvest sprouting.